Pakistan, Iran to discuss new ‘terms of engagement’ today

The foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan will hold crucial talks here on Monday (today) as part of efforts to repair their ties damaged by tit-for-tat missile strikes a fortnight ago. Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian arrived in Islamabad late on Sunday. As the two countries were reeling from the missile exchanges, killing of 9 Pakistani labourers in Sistan-Blauchistan province of Iran on Saturday, highlighted the fault lines in the bilateral ties. Before leaving for Islamabad, the Iranian foreign minister sought to assure Pakistan that Tehran would not allow “enemies” to target “friendship, peace and security in the region,” according to IRNA Pakistan asked Iran to investigate the Saravan incident and bring the perpetrators of heinous crime to justice. Tehran was quick to condemn the killing of Pakistani workers, who were from South Punjab. Observers feel Baloch terrorist outfits, who were targeted in the Pakistani missile strikes, might be behind the gruesome murder of poor workers. Tensions may have eased but officials here said the rupture caused in the relationship due to missile exchanges may take some time to heal. They added that the visit of the Iranian foreign minister was crucial as the two sides would discuss the “new terms of engagements” after the recent events.